| In this article we will look at some general service | | | | this often works really well and controls emissions, |
| hints that apply to any car whether you buy it | | | | you need to keep those fuel injectors clean. Your |
| new or used. In most cases, these maintenance | | | | local auto parts shop sells a number of brands of |
| costs are not covered by your factory and | | | | fuel injector cleaner and I recommend addiing it to |
| extended warranty, but are important | | | | a full tank of gas at least with every oil change. |
| considerations in getting the best and most reliable | | | | It's a lot cheaper than having your fuel injection |
| service from your car.The first consideration is | | | | system overhauled. And change that air filter |
| where you take it for service. Many people simply | | | | regularly or whenever it starts to appear dirty. |
| take it back to the dealer where they bought it. | | | | Nothing slows performance more quickly and |
| The advantage there is that if they discover | | | | gunks up your carburettor or fuel injectors than a |
| anything that needs fixing under the warranty, | | | | dirty air filter.Tires, Brakes and Shock |
| they will fix it for you when you take it in for | | | | AborbersOther items like tires, brakes and shock |
| service. But be aware that you pay a premium | | | | aborbers are generally not covered by |
| for dealer service in most things, and you can | | | | warranties... they are considered routine |
| often cut the cost of that routine maintenance by | | | | maintenance items. Choose your tires carefully... |
| 30% or more by using a good independent repair | | | | there are a wide range of tire grades, priced |
| shop. And the independent shop may be a bit | | | | accordingly. Invariably those bargain prices you |
| more observant in pointing out other problems | | | | see advertised are junk tires and not worth your |
| with your car that you can have fixed under | | | | time unless you are just fixing the car up to sell. |
| warranty back at the dealership.Check with | | | | Many tires will offer long mileage warranties, but |
| friends or business associates to see where thery | | | | read the fine print... often that's "pro-rated" and |
| get their car serviced. Many shops offer free | | | | applied to the "list" price of a new one, not the |
| shuttle transportation when you drop off or pick | | | | highly discounted price you bought them for. This |
| up your car. If you have a more exotic car, be | | | | is an old scam. Put 20,000 miles on those 50,000 |
| sure they specialize in that kind of car. Since the | | | | mile tires and you may find the adjusted price of |
| cost of parts can often be more than the cost of | | | | a new pair under warranty is higher than what |
| labor, you should realize that OEM parts from a | | | | you can buy them or a comparable set for |
| dealer usually cost 50% more than the same | | | | outright. |
| parts from a good after market supplier, when | | | | In general, always buy tires at least in pairs. |
| available. But your dealer always uses OEM | | | | Never put one new tire on one wheel when the |
| factory parts. And items like tires, brakes, filters | | | | other has considerable wear. Generally, it's best to |
| and rountine maintenance parts are inevitably a | | | | put your new tires on the front to take |
| good bit more expensive from the | | | | advantage of better steering and handling with a |
| dealership.Once you decide where you want to | | | | new tire. But if your car is rear wheel drive, be |
| have your car serviced, stick with them if they | | | | aware that badly worn tires in the back will cause |
| do a good job for you. There's no substitute for | | | | your car to skid and lose control quickly in wet or |
| a good relationship with a repair shop when it | | | | slippery conditions. If you rotate your tires |
| comes time for major work or diagnostics. And | | | | regularly, say every 7500 or 10,000 miles at least, |
| many a shop will take a one time customer for a | | | | then your tires should all wear out around the |
| "ride", and take the easy route to fixing your | | | | same time and it's best to replace all four as a |
| problem rather than the most cost effective one. | | | | set.When putting on new tires, you should have |
| A little story... | | | | them balanced and the front end aligned. Bad |
| I had a girlfirend once with an old Ford Mustang. | | | | alignment or balance will wear out new tires much |
| Her turn signals were not working and she took it | | | | more quickly and can severely impact the handling |
| into the Ford dealership for repair. They wanted | | | | and ride quality. Often, balancing tries when they |
| to charge her $220 to replace the whole turn sign | | | | are new, does not mean they will still be in |
| mechanism and wiring harness, a big job as it | | | | balance after 5-10,000 miles. I like to buy my tires |
| involves dismantling the whole steering column. | | | | from a tire dealer that offers free rotation and |
| She couldn't afford it and came to me asking | | | | rebalancing for the life of the tire. I look for tires |
| what she should do. | | | | which handle well in wet conditions and avoid |
| I had a hunch and picked up a new blinker relay | | | | aquaplaning. Those are usually high end steel |
| from the auto parts store for $3. I reached under | | | | belted all-weather radials which also work pretty |
| the dash, popped out the old one and stuck the | | | | well in snow as well.Remember you life and that |
| new one in there.Presto... the problem was fixed. I | | | | of your family is riding on your tires. Invest in |
| was outraged that the dealer was going to charge | | | | good quality tires... it's a sound investment. And |
| her $220 when a simple $3 part fixed the | | | | one more thing, these new "low profile" tires that |
| problem. I went down there and complained | | | | look so cool on these sport sedans. The low |
| bitterly and they refunded her diagnostic charges | | | | profile means a short sidewall, which means little |
| anyhow. | | | | give and flex there which, while it can contribute |
| In general, car repair shops are notorious for | | | | to better handling, also means a stiffer less |
| fixing things that don't need fixing, and not always | | | | comfortable ride, and more wear on your |
| because they are completely dishonest... but | | | | suspension, since the tires are not absorbing the |
| because it's faster than trying to figure out where | | | | road irregularities as well, leaving it all up to the |
| the exact cause of the problem really lies. It's the | | | | more expensive suspension parts.Shock absorbers |
| old analogy of fixing a loose nail with a | | | | are another important and often overlooked |
| sledgehammer. So finding a good reliable service | | | | component. Worn shocks mean faster tire and |
| shop can save you a lot of money over the | | | | suspension wear, particularly the ball joints in the |
| years.I recommend you keep a log of your | | | | front end. It's relatively easy to check a shock's |
| maintenance. It will help you do it regularly and | | | | performance. Push down swiftly on the fender of |
| that will prolong the life of your car. Abnd it also | | | | your car over each of the four wheels. New |
| looks good when it comes time to sell the car. | | | | shocks should be pretty stiff and recover from a |
| Here are some service issues that are critical and | | | | hard shove with only a single rebound. If the car |
| some hints that not everyone is aware of.Oil | | | | bounces up and down several times above the |
| ChangesThe average new car recommends an oil | | | | wheel, the shocks are worn and should be |
| change every 7500 miles. I like to change mine | | | | replaced. These are not expensive and a good |
| twice during that period. Motor oil is cheap and | | | | tire dealer can stick in a quality set like Monroe |
| nothing wears an engine out faster than dirty | | | | Shocks for little more than $100 for all four on |
| motor oil. The simple process of combustion | | | | many models of cars.Also not covered by most |
| produces a lot of by-products, acid, carbon, and | | | | warranties, the brakes should be checked |
| contaminations from the air. And that | | | | regularly (whenever you rotate your tires and |
| contaminates your motor oil pretty quickly. I | | | | replaced when they get low. Driving with worn |
| change it at 4000 but not the oil filter, and then | | | | brakes (typically they squeal badly when you |
| again at 7500 and change the oil filter at that | | | | come to a stop) will quickly score your brake |
| time. I maintain the same schedule thru 7500, | | | | rotors or drums and make replacing them |
| 15,000, 22,500, 30,000 and so on. | | | | essential as well as brake pads or brake shoes. |
| I use a high grade of motor oil... I have always | | | | Front brakes usually wear out first, and again |
| liked Valvoline. But Quaker State, Pennzoil and | | | | depending on how you drive, you can probably |
| other top brands are probably equally good. Stay | | | | expect to replace them every 30,000 miles or so. |
| away from the bargain brands. Quality lubrication | | | | A good brake shop will turn the rotors or drums, |
| is essential to your engine's longevity. In general | | | | replace the pads or brake shoes, and rebuilt the |
| you want it to look clear and green on the oil | | | | calipers or wheel cylinders as needed. If you |
| dipstick... when it starts getting dark, it's time to | | | | replace them often and the rotors/drums look |
| change it, and when it gets black it's way | | | | good, sometimes you can get away with just a |
| overdue.The exception to this rule is that some | | | | new pair of shoes or pads.Also keep an eye on |
| synthetic oils which are black in appearance when | | | | your brake fluid under the hood. As the brakes |
| new. And unlike foods, where "synthetic" is a dirty | | | | pads or shoes wear, the fluid level will drop. That |
| word, in motor oils, the synthetic variety offers | | | | is normal, and you will need to add a bit of brake |
| better lubrication than the petroleum based | | | | fluid from time to time. Be casrely not to spill any |
| "natural" oils and costs a good bit more as well. If | | | | on the car's paint as it is highly corrosive and will |
| you have an expensive car, it's probably well | | | | eat thru the paint in a matter of moments.Car |
| worth the extra cost for the higher quality motor | | | | Paint and InteriorIn order to preserve the value |
| oil. | | | | of your investement, you also want to maintain |
| People who ignore things like routine oil changes | | | | your car's finish and interior. Keep the car washed |
| because they are too busy are very foolish. Dirty | | | | and clean. Be careful about automatic car washes. |
| motor oil wears out an engine very quickly and | | | | Many news ones do a fine job, but some of the |
| failure to keep it clean may very likely void your | | | | older ones with stiff brushes can scratch your |
| warranty.Transmission oil is another item. Factory | | | | paint badly. If you can keep your car in a garage |
| service often doesn't require it be changed more | | | | or under cover, do it. That old junk you have piled |
| than every 30,000 miles. But depending on how | | | | up in the garage while your $35,000 car sits out in |
| and where you drive it can get dirty and worn a | | | | weather is a poor investment decision. Remove |
| lot quicker than than that. In general you want the | | | | bird droppings and treesap as quickly as you |
| fluid to appear cherry red and have almost no | | | | possibly can. I keep a plastic bottle with water |
| smell when you pull the transmission oil dipstick. | | | | and a soft rag in my trunk and wipe off bird |
| When it is reddish brown and has a burnt smell, | | | | droppings as soon as I notice them. The acid in |
| then your transmission is suffering. Many cars do | | | | there will eat into your paint very quickly and |
| not allow an easy change of the transmission fluid. | | | | cause a blemish to that paint job. But blot don't |
| It is often necessary to drop the pan of | | | | rub. Bird droppings typically have sand in them and |
| transmission to drain it, and then that usually holds | | | | that can easily scratch your paint. |
| 3-4 quarts and does not change the majority of | | | | You can remove tree sap and road tar with |
| the fluid which is in the torque converter. | | | | turpentine or paint thinner from your hardware |
| Some cars like my Mercury Mountaineer, have a | | | | store. It won't hurt the paint and will quickly |
| separate drain plug for the torque converter and | | | | dissolve the sap or tar. But is also removes car |
| allow a change of fluid to be relatively complete. | | | | wax so use it sparingly, and if you do it often, |
| But many others do not. My old Ford Explorer | | | | treat your car to a fresh turtle wax a few times |
| was that way. Changing the fluid by dropping the | | | | a year. A freshly waxed car will cause water to |
| pan only changed 1/3 the tranmission fluid, so if I | | | | bead up in little round beads on the surface. When |
| waited til it was brown and burnt, one change did | | | | those beads start to disappear it's time for |
| not do it. I installed a drain plug in my transmission | | | | another coat of wax. Wax will protect your car's |
| pan, and changed it 5 times running it a few miles | | | | paint, keep it from becoming porous and |
| after each change, until I figured I had diluted the | | | | weathered and making the removal of things like |
| old burnt fluid adequately enough. So keep an eye | | | | bird droppings and sap much easier.Remember |
| on that fluid and change it often.Manual | | | | factory paints are baked on and are in general |
| tranmissions don't use transmission fluid... they use | | | | much more durable than repaints. So it pays to |
| a 90W gear oil which generally doesn't need to be | | | | keep up that factory paint job. |
| changed very often. But keep your clutch | | | | I like to use Armorall on the car's interior vinyl... it |
| adjusted properly with a little bit of freeplay at | | | | keeps it soft and pliable and prevents cracking |
| the top, and don't "ride the clutch". Be very | | | | and it looks sharp. I also highly recommend using |
| careful about resting your foot on the clutch pedal | | | | some kind of a windshield protection screen in hot |
| as the weight of the foot can partially depress | | | | weather if you park out in the sun all day. It will |
| the pedal, and start to reach the edge of | | | | keep the car's interior cooler and also protect the |
| engagement, and this will wear out your clutch's | | | | car's dash from cracking. And if your car has |
| throw-out bearing very quickly. | | | | leather seats, treat them to a quality leather |
| Older cars all used carburettors to mix gas and | | | | preservative on a regular basis. Nothing makes a |
| air and squirt it into the engine for combustion. | | | | car harder to sell than cracked worn leather |
| Newer cars mostly use fuel injection, and while | | | | seats. |